Chapter 426: Using a Vast Sun to Counter a Vast Sun |
"So fast?"
Seeing the message, Su Chen was quite amazed. "Counting the days, it's only been two months since I reached an agreement with the Hell-Suppressing King. The Royal Court is quite proactive."
"I estimate that this batch of Divine Blood began to be mobilized on the Hell-Suppressing King's return journey."
"Seven-Branch Wondrous Tree." Su Chen couldn't help rubbing his hands together. Thinking of the treasure still stuck in the Extract slot, he was already impatient. He asked for Lao Qing's location and immediately boarded a Flight Vehicle.
"Compared to the magnificent waves over at the Solar Flame, the Dust Star Sea here is relatively calm." Looking at the Flight Vehicles going back and forth outside the porthole, Su Chen couldn't help but sigh with emotion.
This time, staying in the Flare Realm was only a little over a month, less than two months in total, but quite a lot of things had happened.
Lao Qing was currently at the Bronze Core, seemingly holding some kind of meeting. When Su Chen arrived, the meeting hadn't ended yet.
He waited outside for a while before seeing the door open. Many high-ranking members walked out one after another, all bearing solemn and serious expressions on their faces.
Upon seeing Su Chen, however, they retracted their solemn expressions and greeted him with smiles.
"Senior Brother, did something happen again?" Su Chen walked over, pulled out a chair and sat down, unable to help but ask.
"Mm..." Qing Cang glanced at him. For some reason, Su Chen always felt that this gaze contained a different kind of meaning. He muttered secretly to himself, and then heard Lao Qing say:
"The last time I contacted the Ancient Kings, I learned some rather bad news. An entity calling himself the Immeasurable Buddha inexplicably arrived in that Flare Realm, likely from the Abyssal Domain."
Su Chen stagnated, and only then revealed a Surprised Expression: "Abyssal Domain?"
He almost forgot, in Lao Qing's cognition, he shouldn't know anything about the Abyssal Domain, or any Immeasurable Buddha.
Having just escaped from a battlefield involving a Vast Sun, Su Chen's mind hadn't completely settled yet.
Qing Cang was quite worried, "Not only that, that Immeasurable Buddha seems to have forcefully broken out from the Flare Realm, suspected to be heading towards the Dust Star Sea."
"The Ancient Kings have all issued orders to remain on the highest state of alert at all times."
"So it's like that." Su Chen looked thoughtful.
Qing Cang sighed: "Listening to the tone of the Ancient Kings, they are all quite worried about this matter. Moreover, that Immeasurable Buddha had prepared Methods early on, actually splitting a wisp of power to anchor onto the Hell-Suppressing King."
"Fortunately, the Ancient Kings gave a timely warning, and it didn't result in a grave mistake."
"Indeed, the Ancient Kings are far-sighted." Su Chen revealed an expression of being Deeply Convinced.
Qing Cang looked at him, and suddenly said: "The Xuantian Ancient King suddenly asked at the end, what is your Professional Tier."
"Hmm?" Su Chen felt A Slight Shock in One's Heart. This old schemer is truly devious. The talent check had already been completed, yet he still asked such a question.
"The Hell-Suppressing King couldn't see through you, so naturally he reported it as the 7th-Tier." Qing Cang spoke with a hidden meaning.
"Even if it's the 8th-Tier, it wouldn't matter. The Xuantian Ancient King was probably just asking casually." Su Chen said without blushing or his heart skipping a beat.
This matter regarding Taixuan Hong involved too much; it was impossible for him to tell anyone.
Seeing that Lao Qing was about to speak again, Su Chen, knowing this guy's character, forcefully interrupted: "Senior Brother, where is the Divine Blood?"
"Divine Blood...?" Qing Cang glared at him angrily. Reaching out his hand, he pulled a silver Metal Case about a meter square out from the void. "This is the one hundred drops of Divine Blood sent by the Royal Court. I have already verified it."
"Thank you, Senior Brother." Su Chen reached out and took it, still looking at Qing Cang.
Qing Cang was speechless. Reaching out his hand again, he took out another Metal Case. "This is the one hundred drops you borrowed from the Order."
He placed a heavy emphasis on the word "borrowed".
"Troubled you, Senior Brother." Su Chen reached out and took it. First putting away the two boxes, he then chuckled "Hehe" twice, "Senior Brother, I still want to borrow another fifty drops."
"Borrow again?" Qing Cang's eyes widened, unable to help but say, "Didn't we agree on one hundred drops earlier?"
"Plans can't keep up with changes." Su Chen was also helpless. The remaining Divine Blood in his hands, plus these two hundred drops, was just barely enough to Extract the Seven-Branch Wondrous Tree.
But inside his Nether Tower lay a corpse, which required Divine Blood to assist in refining it into Morning Star Embers.
"Gone, they're gone." Qing Cang waved his hands repeatedly.
"Alright." Su Chen's expression dimmed, and he sighed: "Forgive me, Senior Brother, I was Give an Inch, Take a Mile."
"You..." Qing Cang gnashed his teeth. This kid had truly figured him out. He couldn't help but say angrily: "I don't have fifty drops, and the Order is also almost hollowed out. Twenty at most. If you ask to borrow more, I will plant a few spirit eyes on you to see what exactly you need this stuff for."
"Thank you, Senior Brother." Su Chen was overjoyed. Providing ample emotional value, he performed a deep bow.
Seeing this, the displeasure in Qing Cang's heart also dispersed somewhat, and he said angrily: "It's only because the Ancient Kings are coming out soon, and the reception ritual doesn't involve Divine Blood, only requiring Faith Essence to be mobilized. Otherwise, even that previous one hundred drops would have been very difficult to allocate to you."
This method was exactly what he had told the Ancient Kings. Su Chen naturally knew, but still pretended to be joyous: "Is Master coming back?"
"En." Qing Cang nodded. Thinking of this matter, his expression eased considerably. "It will be fine once Master returns. Immeasurable Buddha... Abyssal Domain..."
Qing Cang's expression turned gloomy and uncertain. Su Chen's heart stirred slightly, unable to help but ask: "This Abyssal Domain, if One in Ten Thousand they decide to go all out and strike dead against our Dust Star Sea, what do we do?"
"Strike dead? It shouldn't go that far, right..." Qing Cang frowned. "Our Dust Star Sea has six Radiant Moons at any rate. How powerful must the Abyssal Domain be to go all out and strike dead right from the start?"
"Moreover, the Abyssal Domain is merely a general term. I estimate there should be more than one Faction. This Immeasurable Buddha also cannot represent the Abyssal Domain."
Qing Cang's speculation was very reasonable, but Su Chen said instead: "I was just asking casually. Do we have any backup plans? Like the Packing up and leaving kind."
"Packing up and leaving?" Qing Cang couldn't help but be amused. "Where do you want to pack up and go? Into the Nether Mist?"
Without waiting for Su Chen to answer, he shook his head and said, "Although the Bronze Sect is only four words, these four words encompass not only Master, Chu Linyuan, you and me, and the Bronze Core, but also the seven Head of Seats, forty-seven governed Celestial Bodies, and billions of Professionals."
"Not only are we sheltering them, but they are also providing for us. We can stay in the Bronze Core without stepping out and still have vast amounts of Resources gathered here, all relying on them."
Qing Cang sighed, "Evacuating sounds simple, but who should we take with us? The Bronze Core and the nearby Satellite Cities are full of the Order's backbone. Should we bring their families? What about the families of their families?"
"And there is also the Starfire accumulated over ten thousand years. Abandoning the Starfire and entering the Nether Mist is equivalent to A slow death."
Su Chen nodded thoughtfully. He naturally knew this, he just wanted to see what Qing Cang's thoughts were and to what extent.
"However..." Speaking up to here, Qing Cang turned and said, "If it truly reaches the point of As a Last Resort, those who should leave will naturally leave, and those who should stay will have to stay."
After saying that, he emphasized again: "If the situation you described really occurs, it will be different from the last time the Royal Court invaded. When the time comes, you must also leave and not try to be brave."
Evidently, the last time the Royal Court invaded, Su Chen didn't leave immediately, but instead tried to Purify Mist Cinders, leaving a very profound impression on Qing Cang.
"I understand." Su Chen nodded. Qing Cang was just following Su Chen's line of conversation and didn't delve deeper into this topic, pulling the subject back:
"The Royal Court's Radiant Moon Spirit and the Galaxy Throne are already on the way. I estimate they should arrive within two months."
"So fast." Su Chen was surprised.
"During the last contact, the Vast Sea Emperor and Master had already reached an agreement. Naturally, there was no resistance within the Royal Court, and they pushed this matter forward immediately." Qing Cang explained.
Su Chen suddenly realized, no wonder these one hundred drops of Divine Blood were delivered so quickly.
After chatting a bit more, Su Chen took his leave. As for the twenty drops he borrowed again, Qing Cang would send someone to deliver them later.
"What Qing Cang said is right, running away is the worst plan." On the Flight Vehicle returning to the Floating Island, Su Chen's expression was dark and unclear.
Resources were a major problem. The Potions he was currently using were all top-tier Potions prepared by the Sacred Cauldron Cult.
Let alone running away, even if they encountered a sudden situation, transportation would stagnate for a period of time.
Even if he didn't use the Sacred Cauldron Cult's Potions, ordinary auxiliary Potions, which seemed like just a small bottle, required hundreds or even thousands of steps.
Each step required a large amount of manpower. If they really ran away into the Nether Mist, no matter how much they carried, it would be Draining the reserves.
And this was just the auxiliary Potions aspect, not to mention other supporting facilities.
"Then how should we deal with Great Heaven? Resistance is definitely useless. Once Vast Sun Methods descend, anyone would be an Easy Target..." Su Chen frowned tightly. "Not to mention other Factions, at the very least I have to protect the Bronze Sect."
"Hmm... I can only use a Vast Sun to counter a Vast Sun. Since the Spirit of the Vast Sun has fallen into the hands of Great Heaven, the other Pillars would definitely not want to see this happen..."
His knowledge of the Abyssal Domain entirely came from Taixuan Tianyi.
Among The Pillars, he had interacted with Great Heaven and the Buddha Land, and his first impressions of both were not very good.
The Longevity Pillar was the most mysterious, even lacking a Faction outpost; it was practically a single-lineage transmission.
The Machine Domain was the weirdest, reportedly entirely comprised of Mechanically Augmented Beings.
"It might fit Master quite well, but unfortunately it doesn't fit anyone else." Su Chen muttered. The relatively normal one among them was High Heaven, whose reputation was comparatively decent.
"High Heaven..." Su Chen pondered, "If I use the Sovereign of the Purple Zenith as a lead, I can probably obtain protection..."
"The only trouble is how to Contact this Faction. For others, it's indeed difficult to handle, but for me, it's not a difficult matter."
Su Chen opened the Status Panel and glanced at the "Void Power" the Spirit of the Vast Sun had spat out to him previously. It could be directly used for Deduction.
"There should also be Sacrificial Ritual Methods that can directly Contact that Dao Sovereign of High Heaven."
Su Chen gradually sorted out a clue. "But even if I really contact that Dao Sovereign, it definitely cannot be me doing it. Moreover, I don't know if this identity as The Chosen One of the Sovereign of the Purple Zenith will be seen through by a Vast Sun Tier."
He didn't act recklessly and prepared to go back and ask the Remnant Spirit.
.........
"Huang Pan... Heart-Rending Blood Sacrifice... So it was like this..."
In the Starry Expanse, among the Nether Mist, the Immeasurable Buddha couldn't keep his expression calm after listening to Kong Ming's detailed recount. The events that occurred in the Flare Realm were truly Unimaginable.
That Taixuan Tianyi actually had this move of Heart-Rending Blood Sacrifice. Not only did it fulfill Taixuan Hong's Selection, but it also forcefully allowed him to escape from Great Heaven's hands.
"Naturally, I acted according to the World-Honored One's orders." The Immeasurable Buddha swept his gaze over him. "Have you ever seen the highest Access Level of the Dharma Wheel of Salvation?"
"Never." Kong Ming shook his head.
"For ordinary reception via the Dharma Wheel of Salvation, we need to expend Faith Essence. But for the highest Access Level of the Dharma Wheel of Salvation, the burden is borne by the Buddha Land."
The Immeasurable Buddha raised his hands and clasped them together. A vast Buddha phantom emerged behind him. A Sutra Chanter's voice rang out mightily, and countless Sanskrit Scripts emerged from the void, churning continuously like giant waves in the deep sea. They rotated in circles, dyeing the nearby Nether Mist with a cyan-gold halo.
Who knew how much time had passed, but a rift abruptly opened in the void above the Immeasurable Buddha's head. At first, it was just a barely perceptible silver-white dot of light, which then bloomed layer by layer like petals.
A pure and flawless wheel of light slowly rose from the Firmament, illuminating the entire Starry Expanse. The wheel of light was completely transparent, with pale gold runes flowing along its edges, enveloping both Kong Ming and the Immeasurable Buddha within it.
Kong Ming only felt his vision blur abruptly, as countless fine dots of light surged over like fireflies. When his vision cleared again, they had arrived in a vast and empty Starry Expanse.
There was no Nether Mist lingering around, only a realm of ultimate clarity and ethereal emptiness.
Kong Ming's expression was full of shock, "Just by chanting the Dharma Wheel of Salvation Sutra, one can guide the Dharma Wheel to descend in a place it has never been to before... This is the highest Access Level?"
"This single action consumed no less than three thousand portions of Faith Essence." The Immeasurable Buddha surveyed the surroundings. "This is the Dust Star Sea."
"Dust Star Sea?" Kong Ming also surveyed the surroundings. It was completely empty, and he couldn't help but say blankly: "Master, where should we start?"
Although they had arrived in the Dust Star Sea, they knew absolutely nothing about how many Factions there were, where they were distributed, and what their strength was.
The Immeasurable Buddha's expression flickered. Because that wisp of power was erased, he only knew the approximate location of the Dust Star Sea, and the Dharma Wheel of Salvation was very unstable across such a vast distance.
He wasn't even sure if this was the edge or the hinterland.
However, his eyes narrowed slightly. The Sutra Chanter emerged behind him again, and chanting Sanskrit voices washed out like a cascading celestial river. The overlapping Sanskrit incantations vibrated, stirring up ripples Visible to the Naked Eye that submerged deep into the void.
"This is the Great Brahma Sutra? But are there people from the Buddha Land in this Dust Star Sea?"
Kong Ming recognized the origin of this sutra. Within a certain range, it could search for specific Buddha Land Professionals, and at certain times it could exert miraculous effects.
The Immeasurable Buddha's mental fluctuations transmitted over: "The Final Ruin that perished together with the Sovereign of the Purple Zenith was named Nine Eyes. Under his command was a Great Eldritch God named Black Buddha. He was once the World-Honored One's disciple—Baita. He was deceived by Nine Eyes and fell into the Nether Realm carrying a Radiant Moon Spirit."
"What?" Kong Ming was stunned and asked in astonishment: "A disciple of the World-Honored One could actually be deceived?"
The Immeasurable Buddha didn't explain the ins and outs of the matter, only saying: "Back then, Nine Eyes entangled Taixuan Ye, and the Great Eldritch God under his command followed. The lifespan of Eldritch Gods is endless. If we are lucky, he isn't dead yet, and we will have a guide in the Dust Star Sea."
"If he is dead, we can only explore slowly..."